Stormwater Inspector (SDA)

Summary

**This opportunity is open to current King County employees only. We are not accepting external applications at this time.**

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future Stormwater Inspector (Engineer I) positions within the Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) or throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six (6) months.

Make a Difference for King County’s Waterways

King County’s Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is seeking an enthusiastic Stormwater Inspector (Engineer I) for a two-year Special Duty Assignment (SDA). In this role, you will help protect our region’s rivers, streams, and natural habitats by ensuring that stormwater and flow-control facilities work as designed. Your work will directly support King County’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Permit, which keeps our waterways healthy and our communities safe from flooding and pollution.

If you enjoy field work, technical problem solving, and helping the public understand how stormwater systems protect the environment, this opportunity is for you.
About the Role
As a Stormwater Inspector, you will:

• Inspect and assess drainage, flow-control, and water-quality facilities for maintenance needs.
  
• Investigate drainage and water-quality complaints to determine causes and downstream impacts.
  
• Provide technical guidance to maintenance crews, property owners, and internal staff.
  
• Collect and record asset management data on stormwater detention, water-quality treatment, and flood-control facilities.
  
• Contribute to program improvements that help King County meet state and federal water-quality requirements.
  

This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work. However, frequent outdoor work in a variety of weather and terrain conditions is expected.
About the Team
You will join the Engineering Response & Support Unit (ERSU), a collaborative group of inspectors, engineers, scientists, and planners committed to protecting water quality and supporting resilient communities. The team values teamwork, clear communication, technical excellence, and equity in serving King County’s diverse residents and businesses.

Job Duties

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

• Assess drainage facilities for maintenance needs.
  
  
• Field investigations of drainage and water quality inquiries and complaints as to origin, effect, and downstream impact.
  
  
• Provide technical support to field maintenance crews, property owners, and other Division staff.
  
  
• Perform asset management data collection in stormwater detention, water quality treatment, and flood control facilities.
  
  
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.
  

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

QUALIFICATIONS YOU BRING:

• Experience reading and interpreting design plans, as-builts, plat drawings, specifications, and technical documents.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information clearly and concisely, both in writing and orally, to colleagues, outside agencies, and the public.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to create maps from field data; read and interpret maps, construction plans/profiles/details, and aerial photos for land use, land cover, topographic features, and drainage components.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to independently conduct fieldwork, which involves accurately taking and recording field measurements, applying knowledge of surface water and water quality control, and inspecting and recording maintenance needs with drainage facilities and field conditions.
  
  
• Possess general knowledge of stormwater detention and water quality treatment facilities per the guidelines of King County Surface Water Design Manual (SWDM) or equivalent manual.
  
  

COMPETENCIES YOU BRING:

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
  
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
  
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
  
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
  
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
  
• Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.
  
• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
  
  

REQUIRED LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS :

• Washington State Driver's License
  

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details:
  Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite/field reporting requirements typically weekly. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work.
• Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Duration: This recruitment aims to fill a Special Duty Assignment (SDA) position with an anticipated duration of two (2) years.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by PROTEC Local 17A.
• Necessary Special Requirements:
  • Valid Washington State driver's license or the ability to obtain one prior to starting work if selected for this position.
  • The final candidate will be required to successfully pass a pre-employment physical.
• Physical Requirements:
  This position requires the ability to conduct physical site inspections and evaluations, including in times of inclement weather conditions. There is often a need to walk on uneven terrain, for extended periods of time. Field conditions include brushy, forested environments, river, stream and wetland corridors, and slippery, uneven surfaces and adverse outdoor weather conditions. Work tasks also may include in-water situations involving wading and the use of rafts. Ability to work long hours outside conducting field work and occasionally in inclement weather is necessary.

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, but first consideration will be given to all current King County PROTEC Local 17A bargaining unit employees eligible for a lateral transfer (transferring within the Engineer I classification and having passed probation). We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

We will review applications based on clarity, completeness, and alignment with the qualifications outlined in this posting. Be sure to highlight your experience in reading and interpreting design plans, as-builts, plat drawings, specifications, and technical documents; communicating technical information clearly and concisely to colleagues, outside agencies, and the public; creating and interpreting maps, construction plans, profiles, details, and aerial photos using mapping software; conducting independent fieldwork to collect and record measurements, assess surface water and water quality conditions, and inspect drainage facilities; and applying stormwater design manuals such as the King County Surface Water Design Manual (SWDM) or equivalent to ensure specifications and maintenance requirements are met.

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Resume (Your resume should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Answers to supplemental questions ( we’re looking for ORIGINAL answers that showcase YOUR relevant job experience(s). The answers to the supplemental questions will be used in the screening process)
• Optional Cover Letter (will be reviewed if submitted; we’re looking for ORIGINAL writing that covers the experience YOU have with the items in the paragraph above )

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Jamie Jensen-Young at 206-263-8779 or jjensenyoung@kingcounty.gov.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North" , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

Closing Date/Time: 10/12/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• King County Water and Land Resources Division

• 206-477-4800

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